SCOOBA – After leading East Mississippi Community College to its first National Junior College Athletic Association football national championship in 2011, coach Buddy Stephens called himself a “junior college lifer.”
Turns out, EMCC’s new Director of Athletics Randall Bradberry could put the same title on his office door.
“I retired about eight years ago,” Bradberry said. “That was after 37 years in education with 32 or 33 of those being in the community college system. There are a lot of reasons for that. It has been proven over the years Mississippi has the best community college system in the nation. I have a personal opinion developed over the years.
“The biggest reason for that is the autonomy. Each school works independently but also together (as part of the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges). People in Scooba know what EMCC needs a whole lot more than the people in Jackson. It’s a great system. I have enjoyed being part of it.”
Much like Stephens, Bradberry played in the MACJC and later spent most of his adult life in the league as either an assistant or head football coach. His career also included an 11-year stint with the Mississippi State Board for Community and Junior Colleges.
Bradberry would then be retired for eight years before EMCC brought him home in January to serve as an athletics director for the eight sports played on the Scooba campus. Bradberry replaces Mickey Stokes, who had previously served as AD and Vice President for Student Life. Now, Bradberry and Stokes work together to guide the Lions’ perennial power program.
Stokes played for Bradberry during his 12-year stint as head coach at EMCC. It did not take long for a slight push from Stokes to turn into acceptance of his current job for Bradberry.
“Really, I would do anything for Mickey,” Bradberry said. “This has been very enjoyable. I enjoy the people I work with. I am excited about East Mississippi. It’s fun seeing some of the people back here at school functions. I see people I played with and people I coached with. The school has changed in so many ways. But those changes are on the outside. On the inside, the heart of the school remains the same. Scooba is a wonderful place. The people make it that way.”
Bradberry came in on the heels of one of the most difficult seasons in EMCC football history. After winning national championships in 2013 and 2014, the Lions were poised for a first-ever national championship three-peat.
Instead, EMCC saw a 25-game win streak snapped with a regular-season loss to Copiah-Lincoln Community College. The season then ended prematurely with a benches-clearing altercation against Mississippi Delta Community College leading to EMCC being banned from the MACJC playoffs.
Hired by Stokes, Stephens is 76-11 in eight seasons, with seven MACJC North Division championships, four MACJC state championships and three NJCAA national championships.
“Each day that passes the more I like Buddy Stephens,” Bradberry said. “Like most people, I had watched the program from afar. Now, that I am around our players and coaches each day, it’s an incredible experience. Buddy knows how mold young men. He has changed the entire landscape from the MACJC. Others could do the same thing but have not been able to do so.
“It’s a remarkable story and one that will continue as long as he coaches in this league.”
The eventful 2015 season was captured in a six-part documentary series entitled “Last Chance U.” The series debuted late last month, exclusively on Netflix. The six-hour film featured a behind-the-scenes look at the program, including classroom footage, practice footage, team meetings and game action, including an on-field altercation between Stephens and an official during a win over Itawamba Community College and the season-ending fight against Delta.
“You never really know how people would react,” Bradberry said. “You are nervous and apprehensive because it really is the EMCC football program. It is a 100 percent accurate portrayal of the program, the good and the bad. However, it has been well-received.”
“A lot of times in life people will tell you what you want to hear. Movie critics don’t do that. It’s either good and enjoyable or bad and not worth the time. So far, I have been pleasantly surprised as 90 percent of the feedback I have been aware of has been very positive. It paints us in a positive light. It shows as a school what we are trying to do for our students. It’s the same mission the other (13 MACJC football-playing institutions) have. Overall, it was very positive for the community college system, as a whole.”
Bradberry played at EMCC in the final two seasons of legendary coach Bull Sullivan’s career in 1967 and 1968. After that, he played football at Delta State University, before coaching at Sturgis High School (the former West Oktibbeha County High School) and Cumberland High School (the present East Webster High School).
After two seasons back at Delta State, Bradberry then coached 12 seasons and seven seasons at Copiah-Lincoln Community College (five as head coach). A two-year stint as an assistant at Madison Central preceded his time on the Mississippi State Board for Community and Junior Colleges.
During his time as a player, assistant coach, head coach, athletic director and even interim president, it is easy to see the title of “junior college lifer” has been well-earned.
“I enjoy bring around junior college people,” Bradberry said. “They are a different breed. They are just a unique set of people. However, I enjoy them. I am glad to be one of them.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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